Means for attaching name plates and other articles



Nov. 19, 1929. A. 1.. NEWMAN 1,736,722

MEANS FOR ATTAGHING NAME PLATES AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed May 5, 1928 'z:: mg

Patented Nov. 19, 1929 is. or; road A;

SF CRANESTQN, ISLAND, ASSEGNUB, BY IKESNE ASSIGN- 21-111 ENQTBAVLNG COIvIPAIIY, OF LA GEQSSE, YVEEECONSEH FIE-ANS FOR ATTACEIING- NAIlII-il PLATES AND G'IHER ARTICLES Application filed May 5, 1923.

This invention relates to improvements in means for securing name-plates, emblems, medallions, or like devices to other objects, and particularly to mean for attaching nameplates or insignia to the front of the radiator shells of auton'iobiles.

A principal object of the invefiion is to pr vide means for attaching the name-plate or other device to the front of the radiator shell or other structure by inserting its secur ing means in an orifice or depression in the shell. or other structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a holding or gripping means for the name-plate or other article which will attach it securely in position on the rz-idiator snell or other structure to prevent its release therefrom under shock or and also to hold it from turning or skewing out of position.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for attaching the locking or securing device to the back of the nameplate or other article.

Another object of the invent-ion is to provide a secu ing or attaching device for the name-plate or other article which is economical to nranufacture and generally more ellicient and durable in use.

Further objects of the improvement are set forth in the following specification which describes several differentforms of construction of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View showing the radiator shell of an automobile with a conventional type of nameplate or emblem attached to its front;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the center of the radiator shell and illustrating the present improved attaching or ecuring means on the name-plate or emblem in position to be entered into the orifice in the shell;

Fig. 8 is a similar sectional view showing the name-plate applied to position against the front of the radiator shell with the improved attaching means forced into the orifice to secure the plate in place;

Fig. a is a face view of the securing means;

Fig. 5 is a composite perspective view of the serial l lo. f375t24.

several parts of the attaching means showi. in disassembled relation;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing two of the elements of the attaching means in modilied form;

F 7 is a similar view illustrating still fur her modification in the gripping element of the attaching device; and

Fig. 8 is a composite view of the several elements in a still further modified form.

The present invention relates to that type of attaching or securing device invented by Albert H. Eddy shown and described in U. 55. Letters Patent llo. 1,63%,936 of July 5, 1927, and consists of certain improvements in the means for gripping the name-plate or other device to the, radiator shell or other object to prevent it from turning or skewing out of position. In the invention of the patent above referred to the name-plate or other object to be secured to the radiator shell or other struc ture is provided with a deformable member or disk element attached to its rearward side to adapt it to be forced into a depression or orifice at the front of the radiator shell in such manner that it is flexed or convened in cross section to cause its edges to securely grip the walls of the orifice to hold the plate in position. The locking or gripping element is preferably provided with a pilot or guiding disk arranged in concentric relation therewith and designed to enter into the orifice with a free fit to guide the gripping member into place and to cente it in position and hold it from canting or buckling. In the present improvement I provide means on the gripping ele-ment or associated therewith for engaging the inner walls of the cavity or orifice to prevent the plate or other article from turning, and preferably such means consists in inclined spurs or teeth on the periphery of the gripping member or on a separate element.

Referring to the drawings, in Fig. 1 S designates the shell or shield that encloses the cellular radiator R as used on most types of motor vehicles, and on the frontof which is generally placed a name-plate emblem or other insignia device P. In accordance with the accepted practice the name-plate or emblem P is attached to the front of the radiator shell S by securing means which may be forced into a cavity or orifice in the shell structure to grip the interior walls thereof so as to avoid soldering, riveting or mechanical fastening means requiring separate operations before or after assembling the shell on the radiator. For this purpose various types of deformable disks, flanges and the like are employed and the present improvement may be applied to use with practically all such devices Preferably, i'owever, the herein described improvement employed with an attaching 0r securing device of the type shown in the prior patent to Eddy above referred to and the present specification illustrates and describes it in this combination.

The name-plate or insignia device P is provided on its rearward side with a central stud or boss 2 which may be struck up from sheet-metal in the form shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 5. Preferably, the boss 2 is constructed in the form of a hollow cup having a flat bottom with flaring sides which are flanged outwardly to provide a relatively extended rim 3 for attachment to the back of the nameplate P. The boss 2 may be secured to the rearward face of the name-plate P by soldering, brazing or through other suitable means and on its outer flat face 4 I provide integral fingers or prongs 5 for riveting the securing means or gripping element thereto. These fingers or prongs 5 may be provided by slitting the stock crosswise to form triangular portions which are then bent or forced outwardly to project perpendicularly from the flat face 4 of the boss as shown at the right in Fig. 5.

In accordance with the invention of the prior patent to Eddy hereinbefore referred to the looking or gripping element of the attaching device comprises a relatively flatsheet-metal disk-like member having radially extending arms with their outer peripheral edges of circular contour adapted to grip the inner circular walls of the orifice 7 in the radiator shell S. Usually the opening or orifice 7 in the shell is formed by forcing or swaging the metal inwardly to form it into a cylindrical flange 8 as shown in Figs. and 3. In other cases, however, the flange 8 may be rectangular or polysided in contour. With the form of construction illustrated in Figs. 2 to 5 of the present drawings where the orifice 7 in the radiator shell is of cylindrical shape, the securing or gripping member 10 is of generally circular outline or shaped like a disk with notches cut into its rim to provide a plurality of radial arms 11. while in other cases the locking element may take different forms as later described.

With this form of attaching means the guiding or pilot disk 12 is arranged coaxially of the gripping element at one side thereof and has a diameter slightly less than that of the gripping member to adapt it to slide freely into the orifice 7. The pilot disk 12 enters the orifice in advance of the gripping element to guide the latter into place and prevent it from being twisted or canted with respect to the cylindrical walls of the opening.

The locking element 10 and its pilot disk 12 are attached to the back of the name-plate P by any suitable means and preferably by riveting them to the forward fiat face of the boss 2. For this purpose the gripping element 10 and pilot disk 12 are provided with axial holes 14 and 15, respectively, preferably of rectangular outline and adapted to receive the points or prongs 5. It will be understood that the gripping element 10 and the pilot disk 12 are placed in abutting relation against the flat face i of the boss 2 and the ends of the prongs 5 are then bent over the straight edges of their openings lt and 15 and hammered or swaged down into place to rigidly secure the parts together as illustrated in Figs. 2 to l of the drawings. Through this arrangement strong oinder of the parts is efiected without the use of separate rivets, bolts, nuts or other extraneous attaching means, and the disks are held from turning on the boss; this method of assembling and fastening together the several parts of the device forming one of the features of improvement of the present invention.

It has been stated that the principal feature of improvement in the present invention consists in providing means for biting into the interior walls of the orifice to hold the name-plate from turning or twisting on the front of the radiator shell and this means will now be described in detail. Referring to Figs. 2 to 5 of the drawings, in the embodiment of the invention as therein illustrated the peripheral edge or rim of the locking or gripping element 10 is provided with sharp spurs or teeth 16 inclined to the normal plane of the gripping element. As a convenient form of construction the teeth 16 may be provided by slitting the outer edges of the arms 11 at intervals and twisting the portions between the slits to bend them into inclined relation with respect to the main plane of the element 10. Where the locking element and its pilot disk are held in abutting relation at the back of the name-plate, as is the preferred form, the rim of the pilot disk, 12 is cut away to form notches 17 as shown at the left in Fig. 5 to accommodate the inclined teeth 16. That is to say, when the two elements 10 and 12 are assembled in face to face or alouttin relation on the stud 2 the inclined or twisted teeth 16 willproject through the notches or openings 17 in the pilot disk 12 as shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 4.

In attaching the nameplate P to the radiator shell S the securing means is forced into the orifice with the pilot disk 12 entering first to guide the g "ipping member 10 to position. As the gripping element 10 is forced into the orifice it will become deformed, its rim being bent back with its arms 11 assuming a generally concave-convex shape in cross section as illustrated in Fig. 3. This defo matio or bending of the arms ll of the member it) causes their outer edges to frictionally srri) the int rior wallsof the orifice Z to prevent the disk from being retracted or withdrawn in the opposite direction. As the gripping element 10 is deformed with its arms hent rearwardly as shown, the sharp edges of the teeth 16 will be caused to bite into the interior walls of the orifice to resist any tendency of the name-plate to turn or cant out of proper position. That is to say, the deformation of the element 10 causes the ed 3 of the teeth 16 to be canted or inclined with respect to the surface of the cylindrical OPGlllllg T and in this way the sharp points of the teeth are indented into the metal to ecuro a firm locking engagement with the walls of the opening.

In Fig. 6 of the present drawings 1 have illustrated a modified form of the gripping element 20 wherein it is constructed the shape of a conventional cross. \Vith this form of construction the outer rim or edge of each arm of the cross is serrated throughout its length to provide a plurality of spurs or teeth 21. As in the previously described form of construction the teeth 21 are twisted to stand at an angle to the main plane of the element 20, and by bending them forwardly from the face of the element they will be caused to clear the face of the pilot disk 22 when the parts are assembled on the nameplate. That is to say, the pilot disk 22 need not be slotted or notched along its rim to accommodate the teeth 21 on the element 20.

In Fig. 7 of thedrawings l have illustrated another form of construction in which the lockinx or gripping element 25 is punched out in the form of a disk and its rim slitted rz'idially with the portions of the metal between the slits left to form teeth 27. The member 25 is thus provided with a plurality of radial arms 26 having their peripheral ed es adapted to engage frictionally with the inte ior walls of the orifice in the radiator shell, and between the arms are a plurality of inclined teeth 27. As in the previously described form of construction, the teeth 27 are bent out of the plane of the element 25 so that they will clear the face of the pilot disk 28 when the latter is assembled in abutting relation with the gripping element 25.

Fig. 8 shows a still further modified form of the invention in which two locking or gripping elements are employed. In this form of construction the main locking element 30 is shaped similarly to that shown in Fig. 5 but its peripheral edges are left without serrations or teeth. A separate locking element 31 of corresponding shape has its rim slitted and formed with teeth 32 and these two elements are assembled with a third element or pilot disk 33. Vith the arrangement as last described the pilot disk 33 guides the attaching means into the orifice and the element 30 has its arms proportioned to adapt them to frictionally grip the walls of the orifice when the member is. deformed, while the element 31 is provided withthe angular or inclined teeth to bite into the walls to prevent any turning movement of the plate.

it has been demonstrated that with any of the constructions as hereinabove described the name-plate or other device may be securely attached to the radiator shell or other structure without extraneous fastening means such as riyets or solder. The deformation of the gripping or locking element efiectually prevents the plate from being detached after it has once been applied to place and the additional provision of the inclined teeth causes a dogging action to prevent the nameplate from being turned or twisted out of proper position. The invention therefore provides a most efiicient device for the pur pose specified which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, particularly simple to assemble and put into use, and which has great permanance and durability.

l Vhile I have herein illustrated and described s vcral preferred forms of the in vention it is to be understood that other variations may be made in the construction and arrangement of the device Without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Therefore, without limiting myself to the precise forms shown, I claim:

1. Means-for attaching a name-plate to a radiator shell or other structure having an orifice, comprising a gripping member on the back of the plate having a plurality of plain peripheral portions adapted to engage and frictionally grip the interior walls of the orifice, and sharp pointed teeth associated with said gripping member between the plain portions and extending beyond the same to adapt them to bite into the walls of the orifice to prevent the gripping means from turning or skewing therein.

2. Means for attaching a nameplate to a radiator shell or other structure having an orifice, comprising a gripping element on the plate having a plurality of plain peripheral portions adapted to be forced into the orifice to grip the interior walls thereof to hold the plate in position and provided with sharp pointed teeth on its periphery between the plain portions and extending beyond the same for biting into the walls of the orifice to prevent the gripping element from turning therein.

3. Means for attaching a name-plate to a radiator shell or other structure having an orifice, comprising guiding means on the plate adapted to slide freely into the orifice, gripping means on the plate arranged adjacent the guiding means and projecting beyond the 4 periphery thereof and adapted to follow the latter into the orifice to frictionally engage the interior walls thereof, and pointed teeth at the periphery of the gripping element adapted to bite into the interior Walls of the orifice to prevent the gripping element from turning therein, said teeth being inclined to the normal plane of the gripping element.

l. Meansfor attaching a name-plate to a radiator shell or other structure, having an opening comprising a gripping member on the plate having radial arms with arcuate edges of greater radius than that of the orifice to adapt said member to be deformed into concavo-conver; shape when-it is forced into the orifice wnereby its edges will ip the interior walls thereof, and said eds provided with pointed teeth inclined to the normal plane of the gripping element to adapt them to bite into the interior alls of the orifice to prevent the gripping element trom turning therein.

5. Means for attaching a name-plate to a radiator shell or other structure having a circular orifice, comprising a disk-like element secured to the back of the plate in spaced relation thereto and formed with radial arms, the diameter of the disk element being greater than that of the orifice to adapt said element to be forced thereint-o to distort the arms into arcuate shape to cause their peripheral edges to grip the walls of the orifice, and the peripheral edges of the disk element being slitted radially to provide integral spurs which are twisted into inclined relation to the plane of the element to form sharp teeth adapted to bite into the walls of the orifice to prevent the gripping element from turning therein.

6. Means for attaching a nameplate to a radiator shell or other structure havingan orifice, comprising a pilot disk secured to the back of the name-plate in spaced relation thereto and ot' a diameter to adapt it to slide freely into the orifice, said pilot disk provided with notches in its pe'iphery, and a grip ping element of substantially disk shape associated with the pilot disk and projecting beyond the periphery thereof, said gripping element formed with radial arms having their peripheral edges adapted to engage frictionally with the interior walls of the orifice, and said arms formed with inclined teeth on their outer edges adapted to be received in the notches in the pilot disk and to biteinto the walls of the orifice when the gripping element is forced thereinto to hold said element from turning in the orifice.

7. Means for attaching a name plate to a radiator shell or other structure having an orifice comprising a gripping member on the back of the plate in spaced relation thereto adapted to engage and frictionally grip the interior Walls of the orifice, and sharp pointed teeth formed on said gripping element inclined to the normal plane of the gripping element to adapt the teeth to bite into the Walls of the orifice to prevent the gripping element from turning or skewing therein.

8. Means for attaching a name plate to a radiator shell or other structure having an orifice comprising a resilient metallic memher on the back of the plate slightly larger than the opening adapted to yield when inserted therein to engage and trictionally grip the interior walls of the orifice, and sharp pointed teeth formed y cutting and bending the metal of said gripping element to incline the teeth to the normal plane of the gripping element, said teethadapted to bite into the walls of the orifice to prevent the gripping element from turning or skewing therein.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

AUGUSTUS L. NEWMAN. 

